Ye Wanwan followed Shen Yi, walking unhurried and steady.
Along the way, they mostly saw elderly grandpas and grandmas, either sitting at their doorsteps chatting to cool off or taking a walk.
Shen Yi suddenly said, "When we get old, let’s come here too."
"Huh?" Ye Wanwan was taken aback, unable to keep up with Shen Yi’s train of thought. How had they gotten to the topic of their old age so suddenly?
"After Zhouzhou grows up, we can retire here. It doesn’t have to be exactly here, we could find a quiet courtyard in Beijing, just the two of us."
"We would be together every day, eat together, chat together, walk together, and then grow old together slowly."
Shen Yi’s tone was very calm, betraying no particular emotion, yet Ye Wanwan felt an indescribable sentiment rising within her.
In their past life, they hadn’t managed to grow old together.
At this thought, Ye Wanwan couldn’t help the sourness in her nose and felt a surge of tears coming on.
She took a deep breath, restraining her emotions, and said in a soft voice, "Okay."
Shen Yi didn’t look back at her but just held her hand even tighter, leading her forward, step by step.
They had walked a long way and still hadn’t reached the end. Ye Wanwan was becoming tired. There was an old lady selling sweet soup by the road. Shen Yi went to buy some, and then they sat in a pavilion to rest.
By now, the sky had completely darkened, with lights scattered around. As they drank their sweet soup, they watched the nightscape by the river.
Then, just sitting there, Ye Wanwan leaned against Shen Yi’s shoulder, and a long time passed before they held hands and headed back the way they had come.
This, perhaps, was what was meant by the tranquil years.
When Ye Wanwan woke up, she was still being held tightly in Shen Yi’s arms. As she moved slightly, Shen Yi also woke up.
Shen Yi kissed Ye Wanwan’s forehead and kept silent, continuing to hold her for a while.
"Shall we get up now?" Shen Yi asked softly.
Ye Wanwan replied lazily, not quite ready to leave the warmth, so Shen Yi didn’t say anything more and continued to embrace her, seemingly drifting back to sleep.
It wasn’t until Ye Wanwan said in a muffled voice, "Let’s get up," that Shen Yi made a move.
The two got up and went to the bathroom to wash up together. When they looked at each other while brushing their teeth, they couldn’t help but smile.
After getting ready, they came out together for breakfast. While eating, Ye Wanwan asked, "Where are we going today?"
"Let’s explore around here. There are still quite a few little shops." Shen Yi had been here as a child. Back then, there were a few more people around.
Ye Wanwan nodded. She had never been to this area before.
So after breakfast, Ye Wanwan and Shen Yi left the house. Butler Tang had specifically asked before they left whether they would return for lunch.
"No need, Grandpa Tang. We’ll just grab something while we’re out," Ye Wanwan said quickly.
"Alright, young madam. Have a good time with the young master, and if there’s anything, feel free to call home," Butler Tang said with a smile.
"Okay, then we’ll be going now," Ye Wanwan said good-bye to Butler Tang, then walked out, arm in arm with Shen Yi.
When they had arrived yesterday, Ye Wanwan hadn’t looked around closely. After dinner, they went out for a walk, and by then it was already night. Moreover, this place wasn’t like a tourist attraction with bright lights everywhere.